Germany Gym Review: Berlin Strength

Entrance Of Berlin Strength. Source: Berlin Strength Facebook Page

The Rundown:

Cleanliness: 4/5

Price: 3/5

Quality of Equipment: 4/5

Space: 3.5/5

Overall: 4/5

OVERVIEW

When you think of Berlin you might think of World War II, culture, or insane nightlife. The first thing that comes to mind for me is Berlin Strength.

I was lucky enough to stumble upon Berlin Strength my second time living in Berlin last summer when I was fed up with the overcrowded, generic McFit. Besides, I’d moved to Kreuzberg and was only a couple stops away on the U1 from the gym. I was ready for a change.

Tucked away on the grounds of RAW Gelände, one of the last subculture areas leftover in Berlin, the building is surrounded by beautiful murals and interesting graffiti. (Click this link for my suggested comprehensive guide book of Berlin) The first time I walked into the gym, I got a guest pass, but immediately signed up after my workout for the remainder of my time in the city. I fell in love with the authenticity of the place. It wasn’t trying to hide what it believed in as the place is littered in stickers supporting a vegan lifestyle, open environment for all, and “Gegen Nazis” (Against Nazis). The mural alone pushing you to “PUT SOME FUCKIN’ LIFE INTO IT” sold me. It was like no gym I’d ever been to with heavy metal blasting from the speakers of the gym everyday. The gym is clearly a powerlifters paradise, but it is great for other types of training as well. The gym has all sorts of different equipment from battle ropes to tires to kettlebells and everything in between. It has a nice space in the back with mats where they train some martial arts at night (I think karate), but you can stretch and do some other work back there during the day. When there is good weather, you can train outside. I loved this aspect of the gym. It felt great to squat and get a tan at the same time! I have to give a special mention to the people I met at the gym. Everyone is very friendly despite their loud grunts from deadlifting 400 pounds. I met some of my best friends in Berlin (shout out to Nikki, Christian, and Matthias) from the gym.

DRAWBACKS

Despite all of the pros, there are two major drawbacks to Berlin Strength. The first is that a 15€ day pass is a little steep for visitors, but I thought that their three month 140€ membership is very reasonable. My second problem with Berlin Strength is the earliest they open is 10 AM. It used to be that they only opened at 12PM everyday during the week, but I can see that it has changed from their hours posted on their website (10 AM opening is only until October 31st according to their Facebook Page). I asked about why they chose to open so late, but I was told no one came. Welcome to Berlin..Anyway, Nikki was kind enough to host a “Hip-Hop Hour” at 10 AM some mornings for us early risers. The late opening hours is something to keep in mind if you ever visit or join the gym.

Overall, this gym kicks ass and is a real taste of what Berlin represents. I would recommend getting a nice lift in and walking around the RAW Gelände area after. If you have any questions about one of my favorite cities on Earth, please feel free to message me and I would be happy to help you. Bis Später :)